36-year-old Grants Pass man named as deceased suspect in sex abuse case
By Tim Quitadamo, Samantha Kadera
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JACKSON COUNTY, Ore. (KDVR) — UPDATE 3/20 at 10:30 a.m.: The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office said on Thursday that 36-year-old Franklin James Hodson of Grants Pass was the suspect in a child sex abuse case. Hodson, who died by apparent suicide on Wednesday after a stand-off with law enforcement in Medford, had one warrant for 15 charges of child sex abuse.
Next of kin has been notified.
PREVIOUS REPORTING: A suspect wanted on one warrant out of California for 15 sex abuse charges died by apparent suicide after a stand-off with law enforcement Wednesday, according to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office.
NewsWatch 12 was on the scene after JCSO and U.S. Marshals Task Force officers attempted a high-risk traffic stop. JCSO says the suspect briefly alluded the stop before a stand-off with police. The suspect, whose name is not being released at this time, then committed suicide, according to JCSO.
Law enforcement tells NewsWatch 12 the suspect most recently had charges for domestic violence, menacing and unlawful use of a firearm on March 16.
The suspect’s warrants were issued in California for 10 counts of lewd acts with a child under the age of 14 and five counts of oral copulation with a child under the age of 14.
Table Rock Road between Gibbon Road and Wilson Road was opened just after 5 p.m.
NewsWatch 12 is continuing to follow this story closely and will provide updates as soon as we learn more.
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